Dreaming of yukatas and fireworks
by NovaChridhe
Summary: Inside the Infinite Tsukuyomi, dreams are build from desires. Going on a festival with his parents and friends was always something Naruto had longed for. Ending up with someone else entirely hadn't crossed his mind. One-Shot. Part of a series of one-shots called "Dream with me". Part 3


Infinite Tsukuyomi. A dream build from desire. It reaches into the depths of your soul, bringing fourth a dream that you desired above all else. Sometimes that was something one never would have imagined, if one was awake.

But even in a perfect dream, sometimes the person trapped in it, sees the desire for what it is. A dream. Even if it's just for a split second.

"Awwww you're so cute 'ttebane!", his mum said, while crushing him to her chest. "Let me take just one picture."

"Muuum.", embarrassed Naruto pushed her away but she only giggled and pressed a kiss to his forehead, before running of to get her camera.

The summer festival was today and his mum had decided that they all had to go in yukata. "It's traditional!", she had said and "They look so nice too.". It had been a lost battle from the start, so Naruto and his dad had just complied with her, else she might get an even more crazy idea.

Though he had to admit that he quite liked the yukata he wore. It was long and comfortable. And of course the white and orange stripes were the best thing of the whole outfit. Orange was the best colour there was, after all.

His mother wore a dark green and beige one and his father was, like always, in all blue.

When she returned she ushered Naruto and his dad in position for the picture. Setting the camera down she stood next to his dad, making a peace sign and saying "Cheese.", they waited for the selftimer with big grins on their faces.

Stepping on the streets of Konoha they could already hear the hustle and bustle of the festival a few blocks away. People walking by, in the same direction they were headed. And the nearer they got to their destination, the more they could hear the music that played and the hum of the many people talking to each other.

When they reached the square with the giant tree in the middle where the festival began, Naruto felt almost overwhelmed from the impressions he got.

Floating lanterns and origami decorations, all over the place. Stalls with games and food. Somewhere in the back of the square was a little stage with people performing traditional music. And the early evening sun that was slowly setting, illuminated everything in a beautiful orange light.

And the people. So many people. Families with children, groups of friends and couples on dates. Laughing and talking. Just simply being happy. Many wore yukatas, but some wore just their normal clothes and the mix of it all,... it was a simply breathtaking view.

"Great isn't it?", asked his dad with one of his gentle smiles.

"Yeah!", he answered breathless, but with a big smile in place. Taking his fathers hand, he dragged him towards the crowd, excited to see it all up close.

They walked from stall to stall, looking at the things being sold. And it seemed like everything was being sold. From clothes, to jewellery, to decorations and knickknacks. It was an accumulation of the most colourful things Naruto had ever seen and he couldn't help but smile the whole time.

It's the first time that they had gone to the festival since he was younger. Of the times they did go, he doesn't really have any memories, because he was too young to remember it.

Every year they had said they would go, but every time something had come up and they couldn't go. Last year had been especially nasty with the three of them down with a summer cold. And Naruto had been even more depressed at not having been there when he heard about the awesome fireworks display from his friends at the academy.

So this year he was determined not to miss the festival, nor the fireworks. He just had to see them with his own eyes, come what may.

Stopping at a takoyaki stall, his parents stood in line to buy some. Looking to his left, he saw two of his friends from the academy. Shikamaru and Chouji. Grinning he slipped away from his parents to were his friends lazed about.

Well not really lazed about, Shikamaru was lazing beside Chouji as always and Chouji was eating a whole stack of takoyaki it seemed. Guarding it even from Shikamaru, even though he made no move to steal food from him.

Coming up behind him he switched to Choujis right lightning fast and stole a takoyaki from his last plate.

"Hey,! I was still eating that!", came the instant complain from his rather chubby friend and a "Hello Naruto." in a lazy drawl from the guy beside them. Chewing, Naruto just grinned at the both of them.

"Aw come on. It's not like you didn't have three plates already and couldn't spare just one little takoyaki 'ttebayo.", he argued.

"It's the principle of the matter Naruto.", Chouji said after inhaling the last pieces, in fear Naruto would steal another one. "I wanted to savour every last bit of them."

"Troublesome.", muttered Shikamaru under his breath while shaking his head.

"Well how about I'll let you have one of mine then Chouji-kun? Then you're even. What do you say?", his father said from behind Naruto, extending his serving of takoyaki to Chouji.

"Ho-Hokage-sama!", exclaimed Chouji with eyes as big as saucers. "I-I wouldn't... I couldn't..."

"Oh it's alright, take it. You're still growing and need all the food you can get right?", he said with a wink.

Shikamaru just snorted at that comment, but said nothing else about it. Though Naruto complained loud enough for the both of them.

"But dad, he probably already ate a whole cartload of food. His stomach is a bottomless pit 'ttebayo!", he said even as Chouji embarrassedly took the offered food, said his thanks and began eating it.

"If he eats anything more he'll get even more fa...", a hand was pressed against his mouth before he could finish his sentence. His father gave him a stern look and his mother looked about to pummel him.

"That's a taboo word!", Shikamaru whispered in his ear, still holding his mouth captive with his hand.

"Fa? What did you want to say Naruto?" Choujis eyes sparkled with something Naruto couldn't quite figure out and mild panic began to make itself known inside him. He swallowed.

"Fantastic. He meant fantastic Chouji."

"Eeeh is that so?", he didn't seem to quite believe Shikamarus proclamation.

"And that he's going to buy you a round of the taiyaki from the stall we saw earlier!", he decided for Naruto.

"Eeeeh really Naruto?", Chouji practically bounced for joy at the prospect of more food.

"It seems so.", he said after Shikamaru released his mouth with a meaningful look not to say anything else.

His mother burst into laughter and even his father chuckled a little.

"You... should've seen... your face 'ttebane.", she said in between wheezes of laughter. Naruto just pouted and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Here.", his father said, holding a green toad in front of him. Said toad was a full wallet it seemed.

"Go have fun with your friends.", he added when Naruto cautiously took it from his father.

"But don't spent too much you hear?!", his mother commanded pointing a menacing finger at Naruto.

"Yes mum." He hugged them and then turned to leave with his friends, who had stepped aside to wait for him after saying their goodbyes.

"And come strait home after the fireworks young man!", his mother shouted after them.

"Yeah yeah.", he waved goodbye over his shoulder and ran ahead of the two following him

"One yes is enough 'ttebane!", he heard his mother shout and another "Troublesome." muttered by Shikamaru, but that just made him laugh even harder.

He was happy. Truly happy. Having parents that would worry about you, or nag at you, or smile at you. Having people who loved you unconditionally. That was great.

Though he wasn't quite sure why he felt like that. He's always had parents, people who cared for him. But sometimes he felt like that's not how it was supposed to be. That he should be alone. Alone in an empty apartment where no one ever really visited him.

But that was wrong. He had his family. Sandaime-jiji. Ero-sennin. Obito-nii and Rin-nee. His friends. And Kakashi. They were all there. Two of his friends directly beside him as they stood in line for the taiyaki.

So why did he feel like that sometimes? That this was wrong? That he shouldn't enjoy this?

"Three taiyaki please.", Chouji ordered when they reached the front, breaking Naruto out of his pondering.

"Ah thank you Chouji."

"Why are you thanking me? Those are for me. You're still buying right Naruto?", Chouji eyed him suspiciously from the corner of his eyes.

"Three servings?", Naruto asked shocked, his gaze wondering from Chouji to Gama-chan in his hands and then to Shikamaru, who just grinned. That bastard!

Helpless he nodded and asked the cook for a fourth serving for himself after Shikamaru said that he didn't need one. With a significant dent in Gama-chan but a happy Chouji, they walked further down the lane of stalls at the festival. Stopping now and again to buy some more food for Chouji, or looking at the wares of a stall, or to play a game or two. And always laughing.

Slowly the sun began to dip even further, the sky getting darker by the minute and making place for the moon and stars. The first lanterns where being turned on, illuminating the festival in bright lights and submerging the whole scene into something out of a fairytale.

Amazed of the beauty of it all, Naruto looked around, just to spot two familiar figures standing to the side and sharing a dish of dango. Standing too close to be anything but a date, like the ones he's seen every couple have on the festival.

Grinning to himself, he said a quick goodbye to his surprised friends, promising to meet tomorrow at the park.

Carefully sneaking to the two people he counted to his family, he tried to do the same as with Chouji. Though this time coming from the left, knowing that the guy couldn't see him there, due to the lack of a left eye.

"Hey.", came the instant complain from the scarred guy wearing a plain black yukata and a "Hello Naruto-kun.", from the girl in a beautiful violet one. Chewing the dango, Naruto grinned at the both of them, happy that his trick had worked a second time this evening.

"Ne, Obito-nii?", he asked after swallowing and poking him into the side. "Is this a date?" Spluttering Obito-nii almost dropped the remaining dango, face almost as red as a tomato. Rin-nee, though not as red as Obito-nii, sported also a blush at Narutos question.

"Why do you ask Naruto-kun?", she finally managed to ask. Almost sheepish Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Well I overheard mum and dad the other day. And mum asked dad if Obito-nii had asked you out on a date. And dad said that he didn't know, but that it's about time he finally does." Naruto didn't think Obito-niis face could get any redder than this, his mouth hanging open and the dango in more danger of dropping to the floor than before. "Besides isn't this something couples do on a date? Going on festivals together I mean"

"Aren't you a bit too young to be talking about dates?", Obito-niis voice getting higher with every word. Naruto gave him an unimpressed look.

"I'm seven, not dumb. Besides,... almost every girl in my class wanted to take that Sasuke-teme on a date to the festival. It's getting annoying."

"Sasuke huh?", Obito-nii looked at him thoughtful. "Yeah he does have that vibe that girls like so much, genius and all, doesn't he? He's an Uchiha after all."

"But you're not a genius and you're also an Uchiha Obito-nii.", Naruto remarks, to which Rin-nee giggled, though she tried to stifle it with her hand.

"That's not... You...", he tried to say.

"He's right you know.", came a lazy drawl from between two stalls. As they turned to see who had said it, Narutos smile widened. Kakashi stood there in his usual clothes, leaning on the side of the dango stall, nose in an orange book.

"Bakashi! How long have you been there?", Obito-nii shouted, pointing with the dango at him.

"Not too long." He peeked over the edge of his book, gave an eye smile with the one visible and a little wave in Narutos and Rin-nees direction. "Yo."

"Kakashi!", Naruto shouted in joy before hugging the man. Kakashi stiffened at the sudden contact but after a moment ruffled Narutos hair, once he put his book away.

"I haven't seen you in forever!", he complained with his head still buried in Kakashis stomach.

"Maa maa, has it really been this long?"

"Yes! The last time we've really seen each other was at my entrance ceremony and that was a year ago! You're always off on missions saying that you have no time!", hugging even harder at that.

"Aah sorry.", Kakashi said a little helpless as to what to do, looking at his former teammates. Obito-nii just gave him a pointed look and Rin-nee made movements with her arms indicating for him to hug Naruto back. Which he did after a moments hesitation.

Having seen the exchange between the three adults from the corner of his eyes, Naruto smiled as he felt Kakashis arms coming around his shoulders to hold him.

He lifted his head, still smiling, to look at Kakashi. "This time I won't let you use any of your lame excuses and you will watch the fireworks with me!" At that Obito-nii burst into laughter, the dango being saved by Rin-nee, and almost crumbled to the floor with tears in his eyes.

Confused as to what had been so funny Naruto asked Rin-nee about it but she just shrugged, finally eating the dango. After a minute or so he finally regained his composure, at least a little and looked at Kakashi with a sly smile.

"Looks like we're not the only ones having a date now Bakashi.", he said, which earned him a blow to the head by Rin-nee, a confused look from Naruto and a completely flabbergasted look from Kakashi.

What did Obito-nii mean by date? Wasn't a date something a guy and a girl did? Like him and Rin-nee? Something that couples did?

Kakashi was his friend. And a guy. So not someone who you went on a date with according to these criteria.

"But Kakashi is a guy. I can't go on a date with a guy.", Naruto said completely convinced by his own logic, not seeing the almost hurt look that flit across Kakashis face for just a second.

"Why is that?", Rin-nee asked with a curious look. Obito-nii and Kakashi too looked at him curiously.

"Well isn't a date supposed to be between a guy and a girl?", he contemplated, furrowing his brows in concentration. She smiled and shook her head, coming down to eye level with him.

"No not entirely. Even two guys or two girls can go on a date together Naruto-kun. And there's nothing wrong with it.", she explained to him in a gentle tone.

"Really?"

"Really."

After another moment of contemplating and biting is lower lip, he nodded, coming to a conclusion.

"That's good then.", he said with a smile. "Still not a date though. Kakashi and I are friends not a couple like you.", he said while pointing at the persons he referred to, which earned him a chuckle from her.

"True enough.", she answered with a shrug.

Kakashi, who had been tense but curious with the whole conversation, sighed in relieve and grabbed Narutos shoulder.

"Great. Now that that's resolved, how about we let those two lovebirds enjoy themselves. Ne Naruto?"

"Who are you calling lovebirds?", Obito-nii squealed.

"You do realize that you've basically admitted on being on a date with Rin right? And she too." He gaped at Kakashi but got cut off by Rin-nee before he could say anything else.

"He's right Obito, we've been found out.", she said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder and smiled. He let his head hang in defeat.

"I just wanted it to be a secret a little bit longer. Now everyone will be on our case.", he said pouting whereupon she laughed and gave him a hug.

"Right. We're leaving now", Kakashi said, beginning to guide Naruto away from the two.

"But why? Can't we just watch the fireworks together?", he asked in confusion.

"It is considered rude to intrude on someone else's date." Narutos eyes went big at the explanation and a quiet "Oh!" escaped him.

"Since when do you care if something's rude or not?"

"Since now Obito.", he said with a forced smile in Obitos direction and gently pushed Naruto further away. Shouting a quick apology for intruding over his shoulder he let Kakashi guide him through the lines of stalls.

Naruto was happy to finally spent some time with Kakashi again and talked aimlessly about the things that had happened since they last saw each other. Kakashi hummed or asked a few things in between was the perfect audience, never annoyed at him for talking too much. But rather comfortable with the easy banter between the two of them.

It hadn't been a lie when he had said that they hadn't really seen each other since his entrance ceremony. He was always on the run, either going on a mission or coming home from one looking exhausted. And catching him in between had been nearly impossible.

He had come over for dinner once in that year. Once! It had been nice seeing him again and talking a bit, but that had been cut short when a messenger bird had come and summoned both his dad and Kakashi. He had been angry at the council for a month after that and made life for them a living hell with his constant pranks on them.

Looking at Kakashi as they walked side by side, nose in his book again, he saw that his tenseness from before had faded and that his usual lazy slouch had come back, indicating that he was at ease again. Something must have made him uncomfortable earlier but Naruto couldn't figure out what. But he was also only seven and some of the things adults liked to talk about went right over his head, so maybe it was something like that.

"Ano? Kakashi?", he asked after a while of seemingly aimless wandering over the festival and drawing ever nearer the end of it. Kakashi hummed in acknowledgement.

"Where are we going?"

"You wanted to see the fireworks display did you not?"

"Yeah!", he grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

"Well, wouldn't it be nice to have a good view?", at that he looked at him and gave another of his eye smiles, that Naruto wasn't sure as to how he managed them.

Excited he bounced in place "So you'll be taking me somewhere with a good view of the fireworks 'ttebayo? Awesome!" and raced forward to the end of the festival, Kakashi trotting lazily behind.

Something caught Narutos attention from the corner of his eye at one of the last stalls in the area and he went over to see what it had been. Various knickknacks were being sold there, but what had caught his attention were the keychains.

Keychains in every variation. Small or big. Plain or intricate. Colourful or basic. There were ones which looked like objects and some that looked like animals or something other altogether.

The animals where the ones his eyes had caught. A fox one more specific. It was an orange fox, but had nine tails.

"Ah you're interested in the kitsune?", the old shopkeeper asked as she studied his gaze fixed on the item.

"It kinda looks like Kurama.", he whispered not really paying attention to what the shopkeeper said about kitsune and their legends. But Kakashi had heard him, standing directly behind him and eyeing the keychain that had pulled Narutos full concentration.

"Kurama?", he prodded.

"Yeah.", came the distant reply, even to Narutos own ears. A flash of something bigger than himself. Water under his feet. The pacing of big claws and the rumble of a dark voice screaming in frustration. Then it was gone, leaving behind the feeling of loss and wrongness.

"Who's that?", Kakashi asked further.

"I'm not sure...", Naruto said not knowing what to do about the image he had just seen. At Kakashis arched eyebrow he shook his head and smiled up at him.

"Forget it. It's not important." Kakashi a hummed but Naruto wasn't sure he would let it go.

Turning to go, he heard Kakashi ask the shopkeeper "How much?" With disbelieve written all over his face, Naruto turned around again to see Kakashi take out a few coins.

"You don't have to buy it.", he protested.

"I know.", Kakashi simply said with a smile hidden by his mask.

After the exchange of coins Kakashi held the kitsune keychain out to Naruto.

"You really didn't need to.", he murmured blushing but took the offered item.

"I know.", Kakashi simply repeated. Smiling Naruto tugged the keychain carefully away and followed Kakashi.

After they crossed the last street with stalls Naruto could see the little river that flowed through Konoha and that had its riverbank near the festival. In the distance he could see a lot of people huddling together.

"Why are we here and not over there by the others?", he asked confused.

"Well from here we have the perfect view for the fireworks." Naruto frowned, not entirely sure that that was the only reason for them being here. But the music from the festival still drifted to where they were and Kakashi was with him so it was all the same for him.

He sat down at the edge of the riverbank, humming in tune with the music and playing with the grass under his fingers.

"Here.", Kakashi sat down, holding out a mug to him, having another one in his other hand.

"When did you get these?", Naruto asked with wide eyes. He took the mug from Kakashi and sniffed at the contents. Hot cocoa.

"Wouldn't you like to know?", he mused, grinning under that mask of his.

"Stingy!", Naruto said, taking a sip of his drink. "Thank you.", he added.

Realizing that Kakashi also had a drink, Naruto fixed his gaze on him. He had to take of that damn mask off too drink, he was sure of it. But then Kakashi lifted the mug to his lips and drank the contents. Through the mask! How was that even possible?

At Narutos frustrated growl Kakashi looked over at him and chuckled.

"Why won't you take of your mask?", Naruto asked for what felt like the thousands time.

"It's a secret.", he answered, like always, and smiling he added "Maybe I'll show it to you when you're older."

"But you say that every time!", he exclaimed frustrated, pulling at his hair. "When am I old enough to see?"

"Who knows?"

But before Naruto could complain about the unfairness of it all, light exploded over their heads, illuminating the night in colourful blips. And then another went off and then another and another. Telling a story of light and darkness.

His mouth hang open and his eyes sparkled with joy as he watched the firework. It was amazing and better than he had imagined it. He skidded closer to Kakashi, poking his right side and pointed laughing at the lights above their heads.

He didn't know how he got home after that, but the last thing he remembered were gentle hands and a strong back he was pressed against. Silver hair tickling his nose as he was being carried and the smell of a rainstorm and books bringing a smile to his face as he was falling asleep.

Endnote:

This is a part of a series I'm writing. Each story is complete on it's own and one can read and understand it without knowing the others, at least that's how I plan to make it. But to get the whole story I'd recommend reading the whole series when there's more of it, though in which order is up to you.

The series is called "Dream with me" and the titles will always have something to do with dreaming and in the summery I will put "Part" and the number of the current one-shot. So if you're interested you can read the other One-Shots I've written so far for this series.


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